It started with an evocative reception to the Japanese premier and his spouse. Soon after arrival at the Ahmedabad airport the Japanese couple quickly changed to Indian attire and Modi took them along the picturesque Sabarmati riverside with plenty of cultural events. The launch of a Shinkansen - type high-speed rail project the next day followed by the Indo-Japanese business meet dominated media coverage through the next 24 hours.

Later, Osamu Suzuki, Chairman, Japanese Suzuki Motors, announced an investment of $600 million, to produce 250,000 more cars at the Gujarat plant. With this, Suzuki’s total investment in Gujarat will amount to Rs.13,400 crore and capacity 750,000 vehicles.

Modi presided over yet another mega event: the dedication of the Sardar Sarovar project. This second largest concrete dam in the world (after the Grand Coulee Dam in the US) has taken 56 years for completion. Thanks to the spikes put in by Medha Patkar and her Narmada Bachao Andolan, successive inept governments and prolonged-litigation, costs ballooned to dizzy heights and water denied to millions.

The dam will help irrigate 800,000 hectares in Gujarat and provide drinking water to 131 urban centres and 9633 villages. Besides, the network will also irrigate parts of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Power generated from the Sardar Sarovar Dam will be shared by Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

How one wishes leaders in different states emulate Modi for this single-minded focus on development!

IE, the business magazine from south was launched in 1968 and pioneered business journalism in south. Through the 45 years IE has been focusing on well-presented and well-researched articles. When giants in the industry stumbled to keep pace with the digital revolution, IE stayed affixed embracing technology.